A meeting of the Core Group of the Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee (MEUSAC) chaired by Dr. Chris Said, Parliamentary Secretary for Public Dialogue and Information. was held on the 31^st October 2008.

The two main topics on the Agenda were:

1. A Communication from the European Commission on A better work-life balance: stronger support for reconciling professional private and family life; and

2. A Proposal by the European Commission that seeks to implement the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation outside the labour market.

• The Communication on a better work-life balance incorporates two draft legislative proposals:

(i) A Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 92/85/EEC of 19 October 1992 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding [COM(2008)637];

(ii) A Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the application of the principle of equal treatment between men and women engaged in an activity in a self-employed capacity and repealing Directive 86/613/EEC [COM(2008)636 final];

• The Proposal on equal treatment consists of a Proposal for a Council Directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation [COM(2008)426 final]

Presentations on the three draft directives were delivered to the Core Group by senior officials of the Ministry for Social Policy, the Ministry responsible for preparing Malta’s position on the draft directives.